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Post by coachcb on Feb 28, 2023 10:48:18 GMT -6
We've done some griping about poor HCs, let's talk about the great ones.
I cut my teeth under an HC who is a great coach and an even better man. He retired a few years back and left a legacy at the school that was endures to this day. He is an exceptional leader of men and handled everything with a straight forward, practical attitude. He had clear, reasonable expectations of the staff and communicated them well. And, he was always proactive; he found solutions to every problem.
I was coaching the freshman and sophomore LBs that year and was having a difficult time. It was the first time I'd ever coached that position and I'd done my homework. But it wasn't translating on the field as I was young (23 years old) and a bit stubborn. I mirroring the varsity as best I could but I didn't know how to TEACH and it was obvious.
He was on the sideline during the first froshmore game of the year and noticed that the LBs played poorly. It was pretty obvious on the field and the sideline as I was getting frustrated. Dropping to our zones was probably the only thing we did consistently right. He approached me after the game and simply said "You need some help with those LBs, coach?".
I said "yes" but then went through every excuse that I could come up with. Most HCs I've worked with would've gotten p-ssed at the excuses and laid into me (rightfully so). He just said "Well, they're not playing well and we need to fix it. Come on up to my room." I did so and he gave me a couple of books on LB play and we chatted As I was walking out he said "We're not done, bud. Let's go out to the field."
He took the next hour out of his Saturday to teach me how to coach the LBs. We walked through all kinds of drills, techniques and cues. He was the first coach to tell me "This is teaching, you need to TEACH them." And then he showed me how to do it. As we were leaving, I thanked him and he said "come in early tomorrow and we'll look at some film together." Film started at 9am but he had me in there at 8am and we watched an hour worth of film where he pointed out LB play, good and bad.
So, the guy gave up over two hours out of his weekend to help a young, struggling coach out. And, I knew it wasn't just for the betterment of the program. He saw a college kid struggling and put in the effort to fix it.
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Post by coachcb on Feb 28, 2023 12:02:33 GMT -6
Sorry about the typos, fellas. Cutting back on the caffeine is making mornings rough. Lol
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Post by knightfan64 on Feb 28, 2023 12:33:37 GMT -6
Best HC I ever worked for was also my HC as a player. Started out as a young kid who played a year of college ball and he let me help out periodically with JV OL/DL. Being a guy who wanted to get into coaching and learn it was great. I kept wanting to speed up things for more responsibility and he allowed me to a certain extent. By the end of my time there I had a chance to coordinate stuff with our varsity road trips, plan team meals, help do all the extra off the field stuff that came with being a head coach. I leaned on that heavy when I got my first job.
What made Coach one of the best was he led by example in establishing a relationship with his players and showing love through an old school approach. I knew as a player that I might get hollered at in practice, but just as quickly he would be there to pick me up after practice with some support or even just a b.s. joke to break the tension and show me that tomorrow would be better. Along the way I learned football, but more so I learned how to lead young men and be an example. I saw that fella fight cancer 3 times during my 6 years coaching and I have never seen a team or a community rally around someone like they did him. Wonderful human being and coach to work for, and I think that's why our staff had so much consistency. In my final 3 years coaching there we never had one coach leave. Of that group of 6 assistants we had 2 guys become head varsity football coaches, 2 guys become varsity coordinators, and another coach become a head varsity coach of another sport. I think his influence and allowing us to take ownership in our own niches of the program really played a big part in that.
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Post by groundchuck on Feb 28, 2023 12:43:04 GMT -6
Three great things. Sure there is more but I will keep it simple. 1. No weekend meetings. Pros and cons to this but we all got our work done. 2. Makes it about the players. 3. Great relationship with the players.
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Post by MICoach on Feb 28, 2023 13:10:47 GMT -6
I think his influence and allowing us to take ownership in our own niches of the program really played a big part in that. The best guys I've worked for have always done this - they don't micromanage, and they look to give guys bigger roles if they can handle it (and want to). I also feel like the best head coaches make sure to build in opportunities for the coaching staff to bond in some form or fashion. It can be as little as playing cards or having a barbecue or something. I think the kids can feel when the coaches are tight, and it can really help build a community within the program.
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Post by coachwoodall on Feb 28, 2023 13:27:34 GMT -6
I guess I've been lucky in 31 years, most all of the guys I've worked for were pretty good. Other than the very first/two I worked for and I don't count those nightmare years I volunteered when I was young, dumb and full of ***.
1st full time job lasted 4 years. The HC had just gotten the job and where he had been the OC. It was large school in a high growth area and because of that was in a state of transition. The school had no history of success (6 non-losing seasons in 54 years). We had winning seasons in 3/4 and made the playoffs all 4.
This was 30 years ago and he had a pretty good vision of how we could be successful by throwing the ball around when most teams were still in the I formation or running veer. He move me from being a knuckle dragging LB to a DB coach and it changed my whole perspective on defense.
We were a small staff (6 coaches in the largest classification in the state.... most of the teams we played had 12+ coaches) so we had to work together a whole lot to get stuff done. So I got to work with him and the QBs/WRs. He really opened my mind to what offenses could be. It was a lot of Coryell concepts dumbed down for HS ball.
We didn't have a lot of resources, but he had a few connections so he took care of us the best he could. We had decent gear, got us free meals when could, repainted the locker rooms, created a coaches office out of a big storage closet and put some couches and white boards, stuff like that.
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Post by Defcord on Feb 28, 2023 13:29:11 GMT -6
The best thing I ever got from a head coach was "don't put an effing clinic on on the field!" That guy was one of my favorite guys to work for but he also would light you up every time you were wrong and sometimes when you weren't. One year we lost a kid that was 6'4 225 and like 5% body fat. The kid replacing him was like 5'11 175, majored in biology and looked like it. In the staff meeting when we were going around to recap our positions, I said I thought this new kid was going to be an upgrade because he could flat out play. Head coach looks at me and goes "are you fcking high? !!!!" I wasn't high and I ended up being right as the kid made all conference. The head coach still brings it up when I see him. I also worked for a guy on a team that was amidst a 64 game losing streak. We accounted for ten of those losses but this guy was just such a great motivator that it never felt like we were winless. It's as close of a staff as I had ever been on and it was 100% his leadership. He had our families over to his house a couple times, we would get wings as a staff. But more than that he was just a solid guy that supported his staff well when it came to getting us in good classes to teach, giving us heads up when admin was evaluating, getting us to clinics, watching film with us, etc. Ironically, when he moved on he never talked to any of us again. His wife told my wife that when he moved on he just never felt right keeping in touch with the old coaches. This was also in 2005 so it was a little harder back then. The best head coach I worked for was the best because of consistency. Everyone in the program knew exactly what to expect in everything all the time. It was awesome. Organization and consistency are so important in this thing.
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Post by Down 'n Out on Feb 28, 2023 14:26:20 GMT -6
I've worked for 5 coaches and all were different but 4 of them had these things in common: - ability to relate to the players - ability to teach specific skills and the game, able to simplify the things. Not just to players but coaches - good energy, players and people in general want to be around them - serious about the game and its lessons, football wasn't just something to do, it was a priority - create a family feeling, our teams and staffs were close
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Post by coachcb on Mar 1, 2023 12:21:22 GMT -6
Not an HC but a great young OC. We were a 11/12 personnel IZ, Power, Counter Gun team with a decent, simple passing attack installed. I was the lone coach in the box during our games and was watching the BSILB closely while we were on offense during our first game. I was waiting for him to start playing flat footed or creep against Power and IZ. Once, he did, I started harping on the OC to call QB Counter. I was getting a bit obnoxious and he quietly said, "We're good coach, just chill."
When he dials up QB Counter, that ILB doesn't just creep; he flies across the midline of the formation. The QB goes 50+ yards untouched for the score. Over the head set he says "Patience is the difference between a 4 yard gain and a score, coach."
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Post by coachphillip on Mar 1, 2023 13:51:14 GMT -6
I've worked for some great guys in my career. They all helped me get better as a coach and as a man.
Jesse Rodriguez - Mt. Eden - Great human being and a real father figure for me in my youth. Taught me that we coach kids, not football. Exceptional at building relationships with kids and then leveraging those relationships to bring the best out of us. I most model my coaching style after him. I owe him a lot.
Paul Perenon - Mt. Eden - The man has plenty of critics, but one thing you could never say about Paul was that he didn't care about his guys. He would fight tooth and nail FOR YOU if you were loyal to him and the program. Also, incredibly detailed at program management and not one thing was overlooked in regards to preparation.
Eric Fanene - Chabot College - Phenomenal culture builder. He cares about every single person who wears black and gold. I learned so much from him in regards to linear continuity between all positions on a unit. Everything had a purpose. He didn't invite you onto his staff. He invited you into his family.
Denny Molzen - Castro Valley - Incredible human being. Always made an effort to treat his coaches and their time with respect. We never got out of things late or ran over. Always made an effort to relate football to life for our kids. Really bought into the idea that if football is about life lessons, then we need to make sure we think those through ahead of time and make time for them.
I was fortunate to have coached for who I have in my career. Biggest common denominator is they were good, honest men who believed in the mission. If you don't respect the man you're coaching for, leave. Period.
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CoachK
Sophomore Member
Posts: 146
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Post by CoachK on Mar 2, 2023 14:16:18 GMT -6
coachphillip we probably know each other. I work for a former Chabot guy now.
Molzen is a stud, love that guy. Perenon is . . . well I see both sides to it. No question he's great for that school.
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Post by coachwoodall on Mar 2, 2023 22:18:05 GMT -6
I guess I've been lucky in 31 years, most all of the guys I've worked for were pretty good. Other than the very first/two I worked for and I don't count those nightmare years I volunteered when I was young, dumb and full of ***. 1st full time job lasted 4 years. The HC had just gotten the job and where he had been the OC. It was large school in a high growth area and because of that was in a state of transition. The school had no history of success (6 non-losing seasons in 54 years). We had winning seasons in 3/4 and made the playoffs all 4. This was 30 years ago and he had a pretty good vision of how we could be successful by throwing the ball around when most teams were still in the I formation or running veer. He move me from being a knuckle dragging LB to a DB coach and it changed my whole perspective on defense. We were a small staff (6 coaches in the largest classification in the state.... most of the teams we played had 12+ coaches) so we had to work together a whole lot to get stuff done. So I got to work with him and the QBs/WRs. He really opened my mind to what offenses could be. It was a lot of Coryell concepts dumbed down for HS ball. We didn't have a lot of resources, but he had a few connections so he took care of us the best he could. We had decent gear, got us free meals when could, repainted the locker rooms, created a coaches office out of a big storage closet and put some couches and white boards, stuff like that. Next HC I worked for was my first real step into being connected, the above job I had just got a call from buddy that they had an opening. I got a phone call one summer day while I was cutting grass in my front yard (before cell phones, wife come out to tell me I had someone on the landline). HC was wanting to know if I was interested in an opening he had.... I hadn't applied. I grew up with one of the ACs. Apparently another AC had called a friend and my name came up as a guy he'd hire if he was looking. It was close to where I grew up. My dad was dying of cancer. It caught my attention. The HC was, and still is in his late 60's, one of the hardest working and most dedicated men I have ever been around. He taught me a lot about working with kids. About meeting them where they are. He gave me a lot of leeway on being a staff member and allowed me to be a real contributor. He also helped me take off some of my youthful brashness and be a lot more pragmatic in my approach to coaching. He is a honest and straight forward man and as I said knows how to me people where they are. It was in a poor, rural district that didn't have a lot. However, he made everyone feel like they were the king of the world as best he could. He gave me opportunities to take the lead in several areas that allowed me to grow as a coach. He also provided me with a connection to my next step.
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Post by rsmith627 on Mar 3, 2023 5:53:47 GMT -6
Sorry about the typos, fellas. Cutting back on the caffeine is making mornings rough. Lol Replace with booze.
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Post by bluedevil4 on Mar 3, 2023 7:41:23 GMT -6
Best HC I ever worked for was just...chill. The anti-blue collar/sergeant kind of coach.
Before he arrived to the program, I had coached under the old staff, and that staff was basically all fire-n-brimstone style coaches...God/Jesus everywhere + "be a man" lectures, + constantly yelling, over-conditioning, making kids run or do down-ups for a very long time (once saw 200 down-ups in one practice)...stand at attention...if anyone talks who's not in the current play they run...punish the whole team for one player being late, and so on.
This was my high school too. As long as I was in the system/program as a student and a coach this is how things always were. When I started coaching, I was the same way because that was all I knew. The program wasn't bad, but we weren't great either (very .500-ish). Summer workouts were basically just lifting weights and conditioning (but like Green Bay/Gasser type conditioning...no football movements).
This new guy comes in and brings his own varsity staff, and coaches up the JV, Fresh, and MS staff...and just completely different. Instead of a life-long gym teacher/sports guy like the last HC and staff were, he was a social worker (not gonna lie, a profession my old coaches and upbringing were told to "be wary" of their "indoctrination.")
The guy rarely swore or raised his voice, and was just as laid back as can be. His time there was by far the best football run the school ever had.
He showed me the value of not selling short on getting GREAT position coaches, the value of over-emphasizing things like just running form in the off-season. Conditioning was worked into indy and team sessions, such as two-minute drill. The one thing that really challenged me and made me grow was NEVER using conditioning as punishment. His standard took the program from "do what I say without question 24/7," to "Hey, if you don't wanna do what we say, you're welcome to, but don't complain when you don't see playing time." If kids were goofing off, he didn't bother unless they became a distraction to the play or drill actually happening. A couple years in, the culture had changed and players were holding each other accountable, and things like tardiness and dicking around in practice dropped drastically.
Only twice did I ever see him swear at the kids or raised his voice...but you could tell he calculated it. I never saw a "good chewing" correct a team so quickly. That taught me the value of calculating when and where you actually raise your voice. I know I've seen the discussion here before, but if you make yelling the norm, the kids will eventually become numb to it.
I became a much better coach during his time, because he is much more my style too...I had no quick wit or "tough guy" kind of persona to do the drill sergeant act and I could tell I wasn't respected by players under the last staff. He showed me it's OK to take the high road sometimes, and to just coach your own way (there is no one single right way).
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Post by coachcb on Mar 3, 2023 7:47:28 GMT -6
Sorry about the typos, fellas. Cutting back on the caffeine is making mornings rough. Lol Replace with booze.
Hahaha...
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Post by KYCoach2331 on Mar 4, 2023 6:59:48 GMT -6
Both HS HCs I’ve worked for have been great and one MS one was too
The MS HC let me call plays when I was 20 and really kinda let me just do my own thing with the 7th grade team while he ran the 8th. Still the most fun I’ve had in a year coaching.
The first HS HC I worked for is the best football coach in the area I live in IMO. Hired me and gave me a chance and he wouldn’t necessarily just sit and try to teach me football but just being around him plus my own study habits gave me my X and Os foundation. Best thing he let me do was basically install the defense during a week where I’m pretty sure he had Covid before it was Covid and coached practice from the press box. Big confidence booster. He’s the best defensive practice coach in the state and we were always so prepared.
The guy I work for now is not necessarily as good of an X&O guy as that guy (still good) was but he’s so organized and is a really good teacher. Only worked with him for a year but I really enjoy it. It’s my dream school so that helps but it’s fun.
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Post by coachwoodall on Mar 4, 2023 8:29:30 GMT -6
Both HS HCs I’ve worked for have been great and one MS one was too The MS HC let me call plays when I was 20 and really kinda let me just do my own thing with the 7th grade team while he ran the 8th. Still the most fun I’ve had in a year coaching. Coaching sub varsity is SO under rated. Getting to be the guy without having to BE the guy allows for so much growth. I wish I had gotten to do year 8/9/13 when I was just starting out. Maybe I was too young and stupid then to actually gain something being a sub varsity coach, but those years I had the most growth. I really would like to move back down.
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Post by Defcord on Mar 4, 2023 9:46:25 GMT -6
Both HS HCs I’ve worked for have been great and one MS one was too The MS HC let me call plays when I was 20 and really kinda let me just do my own thing with the 7th grade team while he ran the 8th. Still the most fun I’ve had in a year coaching. Coaching sub varsity is SO under rated. Getting to be the guy without having to BE the guy allows for so much growth. I wish I had gotten to do year 8/9/13 when I was just starting out. Maybe I was too young and stupid then to actually gain something being a sub varsity coach, but those years I had the most growth. I really would like to move back down. I think middle school football is the perfect retirement plan. My first year coaching was 8th grade head coach. We practiced Monday to Wednesday 3:00-4:30 and played games at 5:00 on Thursdays. No requirements Friday. I still helped with varsity after practice and on varsity because I was young and wanted to learn. But when I finally want to slow down that schedule would be perfect to stay busy but also still help the program by developing the young guys.
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